Image provided by: University of Oregon Libraries; Eugene, OR
About Oregon daily emerald. (Eugene, Or.) 1920-2012 | View Entire Issue (April 6, 1981)
Garbagios Cooperative discards low profile, recycles image By HARRY ESTEVE 01 tlw Emerald After four years of low-profile recycling, the Garbagios recycling cooperative is ready to shift gears. According to "outreach coordinator” Jerry Gal vin, Garbagios is embarking on a major participation campaign to enlist new subscribers in their unique garbage collection and waste recycling service. Until recently, Garbagios was operating at capacity with 950 homes receiving their service. But now, after moving their processing facilities from the cramped quarters of the Grower’s Market building at 5th Ave. and Willamette St. to a larger warehouse in Glenwood, Galvin says they are looking to double their subscribers. Galvin says that although the cooperative has been somewhat reluctant to expand in the past, growth is necessary "if we are going to continue to spread recycling in this city.” Galvin's plans for increasing participation include a media advertising campaign, something that Gar bagios has rarely relied on in the past, and a number of promotional "splash events.” Garbagios will also be offering "encour agements” to current subscribers in the form of free 'In some circles it’s an elitist, al most chic thing to be a member. monthly membership fees and T-shirts if they con vince neighbors to begin recycling with Garbagios. Some of the events currently on the drawing board are a musical event and a 10,000-meter "run to the dump.” Galvin says that because Garbagios is incorpor lr? Graphic by Sioux Anderson ated as a cooperative, a part of any additional reven ues generated from new members may eventually be redistributed among the members themselves. Garbagios originated in 1977 as a project of BRING recycling, a non-profit organization that oper ates a system of drop-off centers around Eugene and a large processing facility outside Springfield. According to Galvin, BRING began an exper imental home recycling service for 50 homes in the University area in which, instead of sorting recyclables and taking them to a drop-off center, participants left the goods in front of their houses to be picked up by BRING. The experiment ran into trouble when private garbage haulers complained that BRING, which was partially funded by city and county money, was using tax money to subsidize competition with the garbage collection industry. Instead of abandoning the experiment altogether, several members of BRING opted to split from the non-profit group and form Garbagios, which would be privately funded and therefore legitimately competi tive with private industry. Since then, Garbagios has attracted subscribers from all parts of the city, though most members are ‘Garbagios tends to motivate people to deal with their waste. ’ concentrated in the area directly east of the University. Galvin says the kind of household that uses Garbagios varies considerably. "In some circles it’s an elitist, almost chic thing to be a member of Garbagios.” As members of the Garbagios cooperative, subscribers are expected to sort newspapers, glass, metal and food scraps out of their garbage before setting it out for collection. Aside from a $1 per month membership fee, the fees charged by Garbagios are the ones set by the city for all garbage collecting Galvin says the recycling aspect of Garbagios often helps to cut down on trash bills because sub scribers stand less chance of producing extra cans of garbage. Garbagios hauls away the sorted recycla bles for members free of charge, no matter how much is left out for collection. Galvin stresses that the number-one goal behind the participation drive is to increase recycling in Eugene. “Garbagios tends to motivate people to deal with their waste,” Galvin contends. "Most people don’t even think about it, they just throw it away.” !il WE'RE1 COUNTING OH _ YOU! Yes, you! Find out about student government, what you can do, and how you can be involved. ASUO Spring Elections Filing for student positions on the Student University Affairs Board (SUAB), EMU Board, Incidental Fee Committee (IFC), and the ASUO presidency is open now. Filing closes TODAY, 3:00 pm. For more information come to Suite 4, EMU, or call 686-3724.
